N-(Het)arylpyrazole carboxanilides of the formula (V) carrying a sulf(ox)iminocarbonyl radical A1-C(O) in the ortho position with respect to the amide group have been disclosed in WO 2007/006670:

In formula V, the variables p, r, t, Q, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are as defined hereinafter and in the claims. These compounds belong to the class of anthranilamide insecticides, exemplified by cyanthraniliprole and chloranthraniliprole, and show high activity against invertebrate pests.
WO 2007/006670 teaches three synthetic routes for preparing these compounds, to be specific:
(1) Reacting a N-(het)arylpyrazole carboxanilide compound carrying an activated carboxyl group instead of the group C(O)-A1 with a suitable sulfimine (NH═SR1R2) or sulfoximine (NH═S(O)R1R2);
(2) Reacting a 2-(1-(het)arylpyrazole-5-yl)-benzo[d]1,3-oxazine-4-one with a suitable sulfimine or sulfoximine;
(3) Reacting a N-(het)arylpyrazole carboxanilide compound carrying primary carboxamide group instead of the group C(O)-A1 with a suitable sulfoxide (O═SR1R2). The primary carboxamides themselves are prepared by reacting a 2-(1-(het)arylpyrazole-5-yl)-benzo[d]1,3-oxazine-4-one with ammonia.
According to each of these synthetic routes (1) to (3) the sulf(ox)iminocarbonyl radical A1-C(O) is introduced in the very last step of the synthesis. As these routes require pre-formation of the major part of the N-(het)arylpyrazole carboxanilide molecule and while the yields in these lasts steps of routes (1) to (3) are only moderate, these routes are not very attractive for preparing the compounds of formula (V). Routes (2) to (3) require the synthesis of 2-(1-(het)arylpyrazole-5-yl)-benzo[d]1,3-oxazine-4-ones which are not available on large scale. Likewise, the starting compounds of route (1), i.e. N-(het)arylpyrazole carboxanilides (V), where A1 is OH, are not available on large scale. Apart from that, some steps in the preparation of precursors of (V) require the use of dangerous and/or expensive reagents such organo-lithium compounds. When starting from readily available starting materials, the total number of reaction steps required for the preparation of the precursors used in routes (1) to (3) is high and overall yields are low.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for the preparation of compounds of formula (V) which overcomes the problems associated with the processes of prior art. Moreover, it is a high need for a process, which can be performed on large scale and which can start from readily accessible starting materials.